Registering-target.



PATENTBD JAN. 24, 1905.

J. N. MICHEL.

REGISTERING TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1904.

INVENTOR A TTORIIEYS Patented January 24, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NICHOLAS MICHEL, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

REGISTERING-TARGET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,896, dated January24, 1905.

Application filed September 24, 1904. Serial No. 225,791.

i the city of New York, borough of Manhattan,

3 and upon an enlarged scale.

in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedRegistering-Target, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to targets.

The object of the invention is to produce a target of improved form atwhich a projectile, such as a ball, may be thrown by hand and to providein connection with such a target a registering mechanism by means ofwhich the pointat which the projectile strikes may be indicated.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indi catecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the main target or objective target atwhich the projectile is to be thrown. Fig. 1' is a similar viewrepresenting the face of the registeringtarget, which indicates thepoint at which the main target is struck. 2 is a diagrammatic viewrepresenting a rear elevation of a portion of both targets to illustratethe wiring arrangement where electricity is used in connection with theregistering mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantiallyupon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is avertical section taken substantially upon the line 1 4 of Fig. The bodyof this view is broken away, as will appear.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the main targetor objective target, and it consists of a board 2 of any suitable form,preferably rectangular, as shown. Upon the forward face of this boardand preferably grouped together in rows 3, as shown, a plurality ofcushions 4 are arranged. These cushions are preferablyof rectangularform, as shown. They are also preferably made of rubber and are hollow,as indicated in Fig. 3.

The elasticity of the rubber operates so that the cushions normallymaintain themselves in an inflated or expanded condition, as indicatedin Fig. 3. Each of these cushions 4L is provided upon its rear face witha nipple 5, which projects through an opening 6, formed in the board 2.At the rear of the board these nipples 5 have upwardly-turned extensions7 preferably formed with expanded mouths 8, and in these mouths areseated the lower extremities of tubes 9. These tubes are attached to theback of the board 2 in any suitable manner and are preferably formed ofsome insulating material, such as hard rubber. The lower portion of eachtube 9 is formed into a seat 10 for a movable plug 11, which plug may bedisplaced upwardly in the tube 9 in a manner which will appear morefully hereinafter. At the upper extremity of each plug a stem 12 isattached, which terminates above in a head 13, which head is preferablyof a metal or other good conductor of electricity.

Disposed longitudinally within each tube 9 a pair of conducting-strips14tare arranged, the same being preferably disposed oppositely, asshown, and provided with suitable binding-posts 15, facilitating theattachment of circuit-wires 16 and 17. As indicated most clearly in Fig.3, the lower extremities of these contact-strips lie a short distanceabove the contact-head 13 aforesaid.

A registering-target 18 is provided, and this consists of a board 19upon the for-ward face of which a plurality of dials 20 are arranged,the same being disposed in rows and corresponding in arrangement withthe cushions 4 upon the objective target 1. Each of the dials 20 is inan electric circuit with the tube 9 of its corresponding cushion in theobjective target. Thus the dial 21 is in circuit with the tube leadingfrom the cushion 21" and the dial 22 is in circuit with the tube 'of thecushion 22". From this arrangement it follows that if the circuitthrough any tube is closed the needle of the dial corresponding to thecircuit-tube and cushion will be actuated, so as to indicate whichcushion has been struck. Any suitable circuit arrangement may beadopted. In Fig. 2 I have shown an arrangement in which main line-wires23 and 24 lead from a battery 25, and branches 26 leading therefrom passin series, respectively, through every dial and contacts of thecorresponding cushion.

\Vhile I have illustrated the objective target and theregistering-target upon substantially the same scale, in practice theregistering-target would probably be upon a much reduced scale andlocated close to the point from which the projectile is thrown.

In the operation of the target if any one of the cushions A is struck bya ball thrown by the hand it will suddenly collapse under the force ofthe blow given it and will violently expel the air which it contains,said air rushing out through the nipple 5 and up the tube 9. This suddenexit of the air through the tube 9 operates to throw the plug of thattube vertically into the upper portion of its tube. As soon, however, asthe head 13 of this plug comes between the contact-strips M a circuitcorresponding to the cushion struck is closed, and its correspondingdial indicates which cushion has been struck. It should be apparent thatthe contact device which each tube constitutes, in connection with itscontiguous parts, affords means not only for registering the cushionstruck, but also for indieating with some accuracy the force of the blowwhich is given to the cushion. This result follows from the fact thatwhere the blow given to the cushion is of greater force the plug willrise to a higher point in the contacttube, and consequently the lengthof time during which the contact remains closed will be greater.

In order to facilitate the return of the cushions to their normalexpanded condition, I provide the nipples 5 each with a small opening27, which allows air to leak back from the outside into the interior ofthe cushions; but these openings are so small that they do notmaterially reduce the force of the outward rush of air through the tubescaused by the sudden deflation of the cushions, as will be readilyunderstood.

The target described is evidently of simple construction and affordsmeans for accurately indicating the point thereof which is struck by aprojectile. In practice the target is expected to be most useful asaffording means for playing a game with an ordinary base-ball, whichwill be thrown or pitched at the target.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A targethavingcollapsible cushions, and meansoperated thereby for indicating the point of the target struck.

2. A target having collapsible hollow cushions of normally expandedvolume, and means operated by a contraction thereof to indicate thepoint of the target struck.

A target having collapsible cushions, tubes in communication with theinterior of said cushions, movable plugs operated by a current of air insaid tubes developed by the collapse of said cushions, and meansoperated by said plugs for indicating the point of the target struck.

4:. A target comprising in combination a plurality of tubes, plugstherein and actuated by a current of air in said tubes, members upon theface of said target the movement whereof may displace said plugs, andregistering mechanism actuated by the movement of said plugs.

5. A target comprising an objective target and a registering-target,collapsible cushions disposed upon the face of said objective target,dials disposed upon the face of said registering-target and arrangedcorrespondingly with said cushions, and mechanism operated. by thecollapse of said cushions for controlling said dials.

6. In a target, in combination, an objective target, a plurality ofmembers disposed upon the face thereof, tubes respectively in connectionwith said members, means whereby the striking of said members maydevelop a current of air in said tubes, a registoring-target, aplurality of indicators disposed upon the face thereof and arranged tocorrespond with the arrangement of said members, electrical contactmembers at said tubes, and electric circuits connecting said tubesrespectively with said indicators.

7. A target comprising in combination, an objective target, a membercarried thereby and. adapted to be struck by a projectile, a pneumatictube leading from said member, a plug adapted to be displaced by anair-current in said tube, electric contact members adapted to be bridgedby a part of said plug, an electric circuit in connection with saidcontact mem'- bers, and an indicator in said circuit.

8. In a target, in combination, a member adapted to be struck by aprojectile. an electric circuit, an indicator in said circuit, and meansfor maintaining said circuit closed a time proportional with the forceof the blow received by said member.

9. In a target, in combination, an objective target, a member carriedupon the face thereof and adapted to be struck by a projectile, afreely-moving member, means whereby said first member may drive saidsecond member upwardly when struck, electric contact-strips disposedadjacent to the path of said moving member and adapted to be bridgedthereby, an electric circuit including said contact-strips, and anindicator in said circuit.

10. In a target, in combination, an objective target comprising a board,a plurality of cushions disposed upon said. board, pneumatic tubesdisposed at the back of said board and communicating respectively withthe interiors of said cushions, said tubes being disposed substantiallyvertically, plugs seating in the lower portions of said tubes andadapted to be driven upwardly by a rush of air thercthrough,contact-strips mounted in the sides of said tubes to this specificationin the presence of two suband adapted to be bridged by said plugs,elecscribing witnesses.

tric circuits including said strips, a registering-target, andindicators carried thereby in- JOHN NICHOLAS MICHEL cluded in saidcircuits, said indicators being -Witnesses: arranged to correspond Withsaid cushions. THos. F. KING,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name JAMEs MCAVEY.

